Staying Gay at Barcelona’s TWO Hotel

Some progressive hotel chains describe themselves as “gay-friendly” So, what’s wrong with the gay hotel chain Axel Hotels calling itself “hetero-friendly?” Axel, which opened its first property in Buenos Aires a decade ago, now has seven locations spread across Europe. Two of those properties are in the popular LGBTQ destination of Barcelona, including the TWO Hotel, which is situated in the city’s gayborhood of Eixample.

My partner and I stayed at the TWO during a recent weekend in the Catalan capital, and we enjoyed the convenient location, friendly staff, and playful décor. From the oversized Absolut rainbow chair in the front window (perfect for selfies!) to the oh-so-sexy prints of barely clothed muscled hunks in the lobby to the hot pink furniture on the rooftop deck, TWO manages to stand out—and constantly remind you this isn’t your father’s chain hotel, by any stretch.

Fun touches in the room include shower toiletries that spell out AXEL and three options for the hotel door hanger. Here, in addition to the traditional “Please clean the room” and “Privacy” options, there’s a cheeky “Please Disturb” choice, apparently for those who are in the mood to cruise while actually in their room.

The room’s walk-in shower featured both a rainfall head and a handheld option, and the light subway tiles made for a clean, modern look. The sink area is done in the open, European style, and the mirror is not entirely opaque, which can be a sexy feature if you’re shaving or brushing your teeth and can see your naked roommate lying in bed (or vice versa).

In general, the rooms have a funky, modern feel, with earth tones, black and white accents and a gorgeous tiled pattern on several walls. Lights and furniture were sleek and practical. Our room had a safe as well as a small refrigerator/minibar.

Rooms can be booked with an optional breakfast buffet—served on the lower level—but we instead took advantage of the numerous nearby eateries to sample the local restaurant scene. A bar is incorporated into the lobby’s front desk, but during our times passing through, we never saw anyone using it. There’s also a seasonal bar located next to the heated rooftop pool.

The gym is a glass-enclosed space overlooking the pool, allowing those working out to have a nice view of what’s going on over at the pool deck. (It probably allows for sunbathers to gawk at the muscles being built next door.)

TWO Hotel Barcelona has 87 modern rooms, which feature king sized beds, free WiFi, soundproofed rooms, and LED HDTVs. A large selection of spa options—from massages to pedicures to steam baths—are also offered at the hotel, including couples’ treatments.

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